“Viva Campaign!”
- Campaigner cliche #233; The muscled warrior clutches her sword in anticipation of bloodshed. She knows the goblins of this land have suffered greatly at the hands of other travelers. Her elven companion offers them food, which they gladly take, but to think that these creatures will be satisfied by a handful of bread and an apple would be a grave mistake. The beastman knows better. His keen feline senses tell him that the goblins want more than handouts. When the grizzled goblin shaman waves his gnarled hand in the air summoning a bolt of fire to throw at the healer, the one time resting place of travelers becomes a battleground of clashing steel, flying spells, and dying monsters.
Welcome to Campaign, a Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) adventure of heroes, magik, and monsters. Within the pages of this tome you will be introduced to our game. Campaign is set in the fantasy realm of Xaria, a place where imagination is king and adventure is unavoidable.
Armed with foam weapons, spell balls, and a few simple rules, you’ll assume the role of a fantasy character to defeat foes, solve puzzles, or complete great quests of honor, fame, and fortune. Whatever mischief the game master (GM) has created is all for your amusement.
Character Creation
“I am the Hajiman, I am god.”
- The Hajiman
I shall be a warrior, strong of arm and brave of heart. A noble knight, defending the land in the name of virtue and justice, smiting evil with my gleaming blade and…
Hmmmm. Perhaps...
I can be a thief, crafty and cunning. A charming rogue, making my way by the shadows to plunder the foolish and unwary. No lock shall be safe, no door shall stand in my way, and before they know what hit them, I’ll steal out from under their very noses the finest baubles and…
No, wait…
I will be a powerful wizard. A fearsome sorcerer, harnessing the very might of the universe to do my bidding. I shall dedicate my life to plumbing the depths of knowledge, learning arcane secrets and the dark truths other mortals dare not look upon, turning my great power to…
Not quite right. Ah…
I should be a peasant, honest and forthright. A simple farmer, leaving his home to seek his fortune among the great wide world, searching for an unknown destiny. I shall keep my eyes open to the world and trust that fate will…
Oh, what about a mime-hunter!
The first step in playing Campaign is creating a character. Your character is the person that you will pretend to be during a game, and is the single most important aspect of Campaign. Without characters, Campaign would be just another hike in the woods.
Start with a concept that you will enjoy playing. It could be your character’s livelihood, a personality quirk, or a troubling situation. All you need is a basic idea about your character from which to build. You could create a sword-for-hire, a cantankerous wizard, or a farmer in search of his beloved cow. Any idea will work, but avoid using existing “real world”, historical or fictional figures, names, guilds, religions, lands, or organizations in order to keep Xaria unique.
Once you have created your initial concept, you need to develop the specifics of your character. Decide upon a race, define your characteristics, and determine your character class and statistics. You may find it helpful to write down your progress or fill-out a character sheet as you make decisions creating your character. There is no right or wrong order to the process, just remember to draw from your initial concept to guide your choices. By the time you are done, you should have a detailed character sheet with all of the information outlined in this section.
In the case of some games, your FAVORITE character might not fit within the story, work with the GM(s) to help make him or her fit and/or to create a new character that you may grow to love as much. That said, in most cases there is sufficient flexibility in our style to allow some convoluted in-game logic to have your illiterate barkeep character to show up at the Holy Court of Antioch. Talk to your GM, you and s/he will figure it out.
You will need to decide which race you wish to play. On Campaign there are a multitude of fantasy races. Keep in mind, however, that your choice can affect many of your other characteristics, as well as your appearance.
If you play a race other than human, you will need to do something to alter the way you look. After all, an elf without pointy ears will be viewed with skepticism. Try to do as much as possible to appear like your chosen race. Tails, fake fur jackets, prosthetic ears, face paint, wigs, and masks are all helpful.
Below are some suggestions to help you determine which race is most appropriate for your character.
Humans
Humans are the most prevalent race in Xaria. They have no special abilities, advantages, or disadvantages.
Though fiction and legend supply us with a wide variety of elf characterizations, the standard Campaign elf is a humanoid with pointy ears. Elves have an extremely long natural life span in comparison to humans, as they live about 600 years.
The elven homeland is called Doro Y’Edhel, although elves are found throughout Xaria.
Special Abilities: Elves have a magikal resistance to sleep and charm spells (see the magik section).
Elves are indigenous to the forest and they can easily hide from others there. As such, they have the natural equivalent to the spell blend while in the woods. Elves can only blend where natural cover exists and they must get close to or crouch down near what they are blending into. After 30 seconds of focused searching, elves can also see any blended creature that has the natural (not magikal) ability to blend into their environment (e.g. other elves).
Elven Varieties
Several different varieties of elves exist in Xaria. Some of the more commonly encountered types are:
Vesve Elves
The elves of the Vesve Forest share a close kinship with the faerie folk, also known as the “fae”. They are often xenophobic and worship nature.
Autumnal (Copper) Elves
The Autumnal are a line of Vesve elves who are pacifists. They are typically distinguished by their auburn hair and cautious nature.
Dark Elves
The dark elves are generally quite nasty. They live in a matriarchal society of underground cities and rarely venture above ground, especially during the daylight. They have midnight-black skin, stark white hair, and very foul temperaments.
Dark elves have different special abilities than normal elves. They blend in shadows and are immune to fear and flee spells.
Half-Elves
These humanoids are a crossbreed between humans and elves. They are very similar to humans except that they have pointy ears. Half-elves have longer life spans than humans and live about 200 years.
Half-elves are often scorned by both human and elven communities because they are neither human nor elf.
Special Abilities: Half-elves are resistant to charm spells. After 60 seconds of focused searching, half-elves have the ability to see any blended creature with the natural (not magikal) ability to blend into their environment.
Dwarves are typically shorter and stockier than humans, commonly having beards and large noses. Like elves, dwarves have a life span of about 600 years.
Dwarves generally do not get along with other races because of philosophical differences and therefore are frequently viewed as unpleasant. They tend to live in mountain regions and are known for their mining and stone lore abilities. Thorin is the dwarven homeland in the northeast of Xaria.
Special Abilities: Dwarves have a stout constitution, and are as hard as the rocks they mine. As a natural ability, they can cleanse their own bodies of any toxins at will (as per the spell purify blood). Dwarven characters also receive one extra recovery point (see creating character stats section) to imply their hardiness.
These humanoids are rumored to have been created long ago by the Beast Lords to battle mankind and protect the pure animals. Physically, they look like humans with features of the animal after which they are fashioned.
It is said that the beastmen have long since been abandoned by the Beast Lords. Now some strive to integrate themselves into society. This proves to be difficult due to their peculiar nature. Elves tend to get along better with beastmen but humans generally scorn them because of old resentments passed down from the time of the Beast Wars (see Xarian timeline). Ironically, there are ill feelings between varying breeds of beastmen who often do not get along with one another.
The uncharted southern continent of Leniel is thought to be the beastmen homeland, although beastmen can be found throughout Xaria. Generally, beastmen living in Xaria are mercenaries, thieves, and beggars, but some have formed their own packs and still retain their beastly honor.
Beastmen are susceptible to both charm and tame spells.
Special Abilities: Beastmen have advantages that are specific to their animal counterpart. For example, a bear beastman, being strong and hearty, might have an extra body point or the ability to instill fear (as per the spell). Theoretically, beastmen can also converse with actual animals of their own type (good luck doing that on a game). If you are planning to play a beastman character, you should discuss your character’s special ability with the GM.
Other
Monster characters or original races that you come up with for Campaign are also welcome. Half-ogres, sea nymphs, and goblins are a few examples of other races that have been played as characters on Campaign.
Special Abilities:
If you have an idea for a new race with a new special ability, talk to the GM. They will do what they can to make your new creation workable in their game.
Role-playing Tip:
If your character is a mix of human and animal, or just plain non-human, try to enhance the differences between your race and standard humans. Give yourself non-human characteristics such as traits, habits, and customs. Feline beastmen may tend to lick their arms clean, purr, attack without warning, and climb trees they can’t get out of. Non-humans may also have religions and customs that are unusual to other characters. For example, Autumnal elves are standoffish to strangers and rarely shake hands.
Character Classes
The following character classes have been defined to organize all the possible character concepts into one simple system without limiting creativity. Each class has its own benefits and limitations in order to assure a fair and balanced game. Character classes are intended to be general descriptions that can be manipulated by your character concept. Your “thief” might be an honest jeweler, your “fighter” a holy pacifist who is sworn not to kill. Your “mage” can be a fool who casts the wrong spells by mistake. Use the following descriptions to decide which class best fits your character concept.
Fighter
Fighter characters are often combatants. The typical fighter wears armor and keeps a weapon close at hand.
The fighter’s advantage is strength. This is reflected in stronger body stats, faster healing, and the full benefit of all types of armor.
The fighter’s disadvantage is thier lack of magik ability.
Mage
There are several types of mages on Campaign. However, broadly defined, mages are magik wielding characters. They cast spells by conjuring magik from their surroundings, invoking the power of their god, or by studying the mystical forces.
The advantage of playing this class is access to magik spells.
The disadvantage of the mage is their limited use of weapons and armor. While they can wear any type of armor, they receive only minimal protection from it. The only weapons mages are allowed to wield are staves and daggers.
Thief
Thieves achieve their ends through subtlety and trickery. While not typically eager combatants, they are skillful infiltrators and unexpectedly deadly.
The advantage of being a thief is having a larger number of game-based skills and easier access to them.
The disadvantage is that a thief is not as strong as a fighter, lacks the ability to cast spells, and receives limited protection from armor.
Multiclass
Multiclass characters combine the talents of two different classes. The fighter/mage is a weapon wielding magik user. While they are not as strong as pure fighters, they have the ability to cast limited magik. The mage/thief mixes certain thief skills with some magikal prowess of a mage. The fighter/thief has better benefits from armor than a pure thief, but fewer skills and less access to them.
For the multiclass character, their advantage is the same as their weakness – diversity. While they aren’t powerful specialists, they are well adapted to many situations.
Other
The other class consists of character concepts that do not fit into any other categories. Guides, scribes, cooks, wine-traders, peasants, farmers, fishmongers, blacksmiths, roving musicians, translators, historians, and midwives are all good examples of the other class.
The advantage to the other class is starting with the largest number of game-related skills.
The disadvantage to the other class is their limited protection from armor and their inability to wield magik.
Creating Character Stats
The various statistics that govern your character are nothing more than game mechanics, but are important in establishing balance and strategy. The mechanics of body points (BP), armor points (AP), hit points (HP), recovery points (RP), purchase points (PP), casting points (CP), skill points (SP), and experience points (XP) are intended to bring a sense of reality to Campaign.
Character stats will turn a skinny player into a physically intimidating fighter or a burly athlete into a frail mage with vast magikal power.
Don’t fret, character stats aren’t nearly as complicated as they seem. Our system is easy to use and in no time will become second nature.
Definition of Terms
Beginning (Begin)
The beginning number of points or skills a certain character class starts with.
Maximum (Max)
The maximum number of points or skills a certain character class can obtain.
Body Points (BP)
The amount of damage your character’s body can take from weapons or damage causing spells before falling unconscious.
Armor Points (AP)
The amount of damage your armor will take before you lose BP. AP values for armor type differ for each character class.
Hit Points (HP)
BP plus AP equals HP. This is the total amount of damage your character can take in combat.
Recovery Points (RP)
The number of lost BP a character recovers over the course of one hour of rest.
Purchase Points (PP)
The points used to add spells to your spell list. PP are available only to magik using characters.
Casting Points (CP)
The number of spells a mage can cast before stopping to study or restore.
Skill Points (SP)
The points used to buy skills.
Experience Points (XP)
The points used to increase your character’s stats.
Maximum Hit Points
No player character may have more than 10 HP (BP + AP) at one time. That is the limit. Even if some loophole is found in the rules (including temporary magikal boosting), this rule supersedes. Non-player characters (NPCs) and monsters may exceed 10 HP at the discretion of the GM.
Earning Experience
For every one Campaign event/s a Player attends, that Player receives one XP (1 game = 1 XP, as of 1/1/10).
XP are earned by players, not characters. For example, if Mike attends one Campaign event as Aeloz and another as Erich Rubeus, Mike earns 1XP. If Mike plays Aeloz and Erich Rubeus at the same Campaign event, he still has to attend an additional game to earn 1 XP. Once earned, this point can be used to increase the stats of any one of Mike’s characters in one of the following ways:
• add 1 BP
or
• add SP to purchase new skills
All classes gain 2 SP, except Other which gains 3 SP per XP
or
• add 1 RP (not to exceed the maximum)
or
• add 1 CP (not to exceed the maximum)
or
• add PP to purchase new spells
A full mage character gains 10 PP per XP spent while a fighter/mage or mage/thief only gain 5 PP per XP.
Class
PP
PP gained per XP spent
Mage
20
10
Fighter/Mage
10
5
Thief/Mage
10
5
Example: Lily is a magik-user played by Brandee. Listed below is her point progression by XP expenditure through her first several Campaigns:
1st Game 2nd Game 3rd Game 4th Game
CP 8 (start) - +1 (9 total) -
BP 4 (start) - - +1 (5 total)
PP 20 (start) +10 (30 total) - -
SP 0 (start) - - -
(TO BE CHANGED)On her third Campaign, Brandee chose 10 PP for Lily. On her fifth Campaign, she chose one additional CP. On her 7th game, she chose another BP. Brandee could have chosen any one of the categories to improve Lily when experience was received, or saved it for a later date. Of course she could also have used her XP for an entirely different character instead.
The Rest of a Character Sheet
Name
Finding a name that suits your character is not always an easy task. Try and choose a name that other players will be able to remember and pronounce.
Role-playing Tip:
You should shy away from character names that attempt to capture mysterious glimpses into your troubled and stormy personality. Try to avoid names that contain words such as black, dark, blood, war, night, death, axe, doom, evil, or blade. With a name like “Darkthunder” or “Blackspike”, players will probably poke fun at you no matter how powerful your character might be.
Three Adjectives
List the top three adjectives that you would want other people to use when describing your character (e.g. honest, judgmental, ill-mannered). Selecting three adjectives will provide a snapshot of your character’s personality. These adjectives can be very helpful in determining how your character might react to an unexpected event or confrontation.
Profession
The notion behind a profession is to give your character class some distinction beyond its basic definition. There are infinite possibilities for your character to earn a livelihood and not all of them are about the pursuit of riches. Here are some suggestions: cleric, wanderer, ranger, con artist, peasant, fishmonger, magik scholar, baker, historian, mercenary, lackey, guard, mime hunter, blacksmith, singer, innkeeper, armorer, cut purse, soldier, parasol maker, messenger, assassin, trapper, trader, fencing instructor, cabinet maker, highway robber, tax collector, elf slayer, or spy.
Goals/Desires
Goals and desires help define your character’s actions. If your goal is to be the richest man in Xaria, you would not likely pass up the chance to capture a dragon’s horde, unless you also wanted to live a long, quiet life.
Goals can be long or short term, lofty or commonplace. They may never actually be completed or can be something that your character faces all the time. A useful goal will bring your character into the action and provide you with an excuse to mingle with others. Defined goals will prove invaluable when your character is forced to choose a side.
Here are some examples of character goals: gain wealth, win fame, kill monsters, help the sick, acquire power, exact revenge, attain redemption, seek wisdom, restore honor, perform a duty, stay alive, find your next meal, study magik, confront the six-fingered man, quest for the Godstone, do your job, destroy evil, destroy do-gooders, destroy everything, plant apple trees, knit scarves, discover the meaning of life, learn new skills, pass the time, escape the authorities, and the most noble of all, find true love.
Weaknesses
All people have weaknesses, whether a simple allergy or a terrible phobia. Weaknesses are an opportunity to give your character some added dimension and give the GMs some fuel to challenge you as a player. When a character’s weaknesses are pressed, they can rise to new heights or fall to terrible lows.
Relative Wealth
Your character’s wealth might determine a number of key traits (i.e. title, dress, education, ambition, etc.). You may choose to be poor, struggling, comfortable, rich, or luxuriantly wealthy. If you play a wealthy character, you don’t necessarily need to have a weighty coin purse. Conversely, a character born to humble means, might have come upon a priceless statue that could change his future. Relative wealth shouldn’t be viewed solely by material possessions.
The Campaign world takes place primarily on the continent of Xaria. There are a variety of countries with diverse cultures for you to choose your character’s origins. A more detailed explanation of each of the following lands can found in the Campaign Lands book or by following the link to the Lands page.
Allies/Foes
On Campaign your character seldom does anything alone. You will quickly decide who your friends are and, more importantly, whom you consider enemies.
Your ally or foe might be another player’s character or a specific group. For example, as a Veldron Knight, you consider all other Veldron Knights to be your allies, but Darien, a Sequestrum mage is your bitter enemy.
The more you play a character, the longer your list of allies and enemies will become.
Character History
The basic difference between your character concept and your written history is the finer details of your past. Ask yourself what events and experiences shaped your character? How did your character get to where they are now? How did you learn your trade? What factors defined your character’s personality? In short, what is your story? The richer your character’s history, the more fun you will probably have playing the game.
Your character history need not be an action-adventure story. It is primarily a device to help you determine who your character is, where your character is at now, and where your character is going. In practical terms, this can help explain how your character ended up in the land where the next Campaign game takes place. Your character’s written history will also provide the GM with vital information to work your character into their plots.
The Campaign world contains many established religions, orders, and affiliations that you may want to associate your character with. This list will help to familiarize you with a few of the many organizations that make up Xaria’s diverse population. If you do decide to relate your character to one of these groups, it is a good idea to get the complete description before playing, as these are simply meant as an overview. More information on these and other groups will be found on the website or at the Orders page.
Special Items
Special items can be defined as magikal or uniquely powerful objects (e.g. magik potions, special swords, rings of invulnerability, etc.). Typically the first time a character is played, they do not start with special items unless they have the magikal ability or skill to create them. All magikal and special items need to be approved by the GM prior to a game.
If you do have the good fortune of acquiring a special item in-game, it should be noted on your character sheet for the next time you play as a reminder to both yourself and the GM.
I Want Special Stuff!
“Special stuff” is anything that you feel would enhance your character but is not covered in the rules. Special stuff can be anything from a magik item to a conceptual anomaly. It could be an ability for a new race, a knife that magically picks locks for a thief or even an old gypsy curse that has been tormenting your character’s family for generations.
In order to request special stuff, write out exactly what it is that you want and get it approved by the GM prior to a game.
Keep in mind, magik items and special abilities are not passed around like a dirty copper piece. If your special stuff upsets the balance of the game or creates difficulties with a game’s plot, your request might not be approved. Try to follow these guidelines when requesting special stuff:
• Avoid special stuff that is too powerful or too broad in nature.
• Consider including drawbacks or limitations to balance the advantages.
• Create special stuff that is believable.
• Provide a limit to the use of your special stuff (i.e. once, once a day, or a specific number of times) before it expires.
• Make sure your special stuff enhances the background of your character rather than simply making them more powerful.
• Adequately explain why your character has the special stuff and where it came from. Include a background history for the item or ability that explains its existence.
Playing the Role
“What you are about to see is an accurate and faithful re-creation of true historic events using rhyme and verse, musical numbers and shadow puppetry…”
- Mme Bryony Wyndham of The Wyndham Players
‘Captured!,’ you think to yourself as you are tied to the base of a tree. ‘Of all the rotten luck!’
Ten more steps and you would have made it to your destination.
“What’s that?” you say aloud, your voice breaking slightly, as one of the brigands removes a strange device with sharp, rusty pinchers from a rather large bag.
“Dis is what I’s gonna pull you ears off wit,” states the tall half-wit who seems to lead this rabble of marauders. “Lessen o’course, you tell me where da treasure is, my lovely.”
“So, torture is it?” you bravely ask, trying your best not be intimidated by the scraping noise of the ear-pullers.
“Das right,” the big lug cackles. “I ‘ope you don’t spill right away. I enjoys a little screamin’ when I’s entertains a lady.”
“Well, you won’t get the satisfaction from me,” you proudly boast, only slightly uncomfortable from the business you were hoping to take care of after you left to your camp. “But, forsooth, do you think I could visit the privy first?”
“Oh, yeah, of course,” the fiend calmly states in perfect common before returning to his broken brogue. “But don’t takes too long, else I’ll use these choppers on your eye lids.”
The goal of this section is to encourage players to immerse themselves in fantasy by becoming their characters for the entire game, from beginning to end. It is easier to play Campaign when there are no real world, or mundane, distractions. The following rules, tips, guidelines, and definitions are valuable tools to maximize everyone’s role-playing experience.
In-Game vs. Out-of-Game
Once a game has started, the players are officially “in-game”. At certain times it becomes necessary to stop playing, either for someone’s safety or to apply game mechanics to a situation, and we become “out-of-game” or OOG. Certain items and areas may also be OOG, i.e. trap markers, monster camp, or mundane items.
Forsooth
Campaigners pride themselves on staying in-game, even under adverse conditions. “Forsooth” is a code-word that means “in truth”. Using forsooth in a sentence indicates that you have truthful in-game information or real world information for another player. Using forsooth is accomplished best when it is being disguised as in-game conversation. This lets you make a real life statement without breaking character.
An example of the use of forsooth as in-game conversation:
Gault, a scholar played by Andrew, and Peralton, a guide played by Jason, are chatting by the fire. Peralton says, “Forsooth Gault, I think that I shall go hunt for dinner. Do you wish to join me?” Gault agrees because he knows that their food is in a cooler in the trunk of Jason’s car.
An example of the incorrect use of forsooth as in-game conversation:
Gault and Peralton are chatting by the fire. Gault says, “Forsooth, hey Jason, can we go get the food and Mountain Dew out of your car?” Peralton leaves the fire in disgust.
An example of the use of forsooth to convey in-game information:
Ernie is playing Mordekai, a knight who has just spent the last month on a boat gutting fish. When Mordekai enters the inn, Ernie whispers to all players he encounters, “Forsooth, I reek of fish.”
At times you may find yourself needing a break from your character. If you need to be in the real world for a few minutes, tell your comrades that you are going to “scout the perimeter” , “forage for berries”, or some other excuse. Wander away from the game-play, give yourself a few minutes, then return to the game with your batteries recharged.
Please don’t break out of character or pull someone else out of character as it detracts from the game. If out-of-game talk is needed, pull the person aside, as in, “Forsooth Gault, I must speak to you for a moment.”
Character vs. Player Knowledge
After a game is over, it is great fun to get together with other players to chat about all the cool things that happened. A word of caution; you may learn something about another player’s character that your character would not necessarily know. Try to keep player knowledge separate from character knowledge. In other words, if you find out about vital story or character information while chatting in a diner booth, do not assume that your character is also privy to that information on future games.
The Cloakie® Rule
The Cloakie® rule gives you license to be over dramatic. This isn’t really a rule, but what it means is that overacting is sometimes just the right amount of acting! If you get shot in the shoulder with a baffee arrow, don’t just deduct the point and press onward. Instead, flinch and hold your shoulder in pain. Even better would be to spin around from the impact, howling defiantly as you pretend to pull the arrow from your wound. Any of these reactions are fine, but on Campaign, the more theatrical the better!
You are encouraged to role-play injuries and spell effects far worse than they are or for longer periods of time than necessary. The rules are meant as a minimum starting point. Do not feel shy about hamming it up. The Cloakie® rule applies to all areas of Campaign. Who knows, you might even get a cute, plastic Cloakie® statue at the annual Campaign Achievement Awards banquet for your efforts.
Outfitting Your Character
With your character created and your character sheet complete, you might want to give some thought to more practical concerns; such as what your character should bring on the adventure. The best advice is don’t bring too much. Carry only what is necessary and try to hide or disguise any modern items. Remember, if you overload yourself, you will not be able to outrun those rampaging goblins!
Costumes
Most players create costumes appropriate to both their character and a medieval, fantasy world. Costumes can be as elaborate as a suit of armor (often made of foam) or as simple as sweat pants and a white shirt. All we ask is no T-shirts with mundane writing or logos on them. If you don’t have the time to do something elaborate, don’t worry. A little rummaging through your closet and some creative modifications will produce a great costume.
The Campaign Props and Wardrobe Subcommittee has some costume pieces available if you need them. There is also a good selection of tabards specific to the various orders and countries of Xaria. For example, if you want to play a Rynith Guard, you’ll probably want an official tabard to enhance your wardrobe. For more information about Campaign costumes, please get in touch with the Campaign Contact.
Weapons
“Baffee” weapons are made from foam, which is cheap and easy to use. Only approved baffee weapons are allowed in Campaign combat. Details of how to make an approved baffee weapon are illustrated in the Combat section. Latex weapons are also permitted by approval of Combat Committe/GM.
A distinct baffee weapon can enhance your character as much as a costume will. Baffee weapons include staves, swords of all sizes, warhammers, dwarven battleaxes, elven bows and arrows, simple throwing daggers, or even a baffee frying pan. As long as its function is safe and approved for combat, a baffee weapon’s form is limitless. Make sure you consider your character when you choose your style of weapon.
Wealth
Many things on Campaign require coin. (e.g. drinks, healing, thugs, etc.). Your character might be the type who can afford these things or you may be so poor that you are willing to do anything to get them. Wealth can be acquired in many ways. You could charge for your services, fence stolen items, or hope and pray that your adventures will lead to riches.
Exchange Rate
The basic currency and exchange system on Campaign is:
1 gold coin = 5 silver coins
1 silver coin = 5 copper coins
This also means:
1 gold coin is equal to 5 silver coins is equal to 25 copper coins
Many different types of coins and props are used to represent gold, silver, and copper denominations on Campaign and all are accepted equally under this basic exchange rate.
Value
For the purpose of having a common understanding of how much these coins are worth in-game and what you can expect to buy with them, use the following comparison to the modern U.S. dollar.
1 copper = 1 dollar
1 silver = 5 dollars
1 gold = 25 dollars
For example, ale at an inn may cost 2-3 coppers. A meal might cost 2 silver. A finely made sword could cost upwards of 15 gold coins.
Gems, Jewelry and Other Trinkets
Coins are not the only in-game wealth. Gems, jewelry, and seemingly valuable trinkets can also be used to barter for goods and services. The value of gems, jewelry, and other trinkets is something that will be determined during the course of a game. If you are hoping that your jeweled broach (which is actually just a plastic toy you stole from your niece) is worth a pouch full of gold, you better be prepared to haggle or hire a character with the Gem Appraisal skill.
Once the trade is made, the jeweled broach is now the property of another character to do with as they please. In other words, do not trade gems, jewelry, or trinkets unless you are prepared to part with them forever. Of course, if you have the proper skills you could always attempt to steal the treasure back…
Table of Contents
An Introduction to Campaign
“Viva Campaign!”
- Campaigner cliche #233;
The muscled warrior clutches her sword in anticipation of bloodshed. She knows the goblins of this land have suffered greatly at the hands of other travelers. Her elven companion offers them food, which they gladly take, but to think that these creatures will be satisfied by a handful of bread and an apple would be a grave mistake. The beastman knows better. His keen feline senses tell him that the goblins want more than handouts. When the grizzled goblin shaman waves his gnarled hand in the air summoning a bolt of fire to throw at the healer, the one time resting place of travelers becomes a battleground of clashing steel, flying spells, and dying monsters.
Welcome to Campaign, a Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) adventure of heroes, magik, and monsters. Within the pages of this tome you will be introduced to our game. Campaign is set in the fantasy realm of Xaria, a place where imagination is king and adventure is unavoidable.
Armed with foam weapons, spell balls, and a few simple rules, you’ll assume the role of a fantasy character to defeat foes, solve puzzles, or complete great quests of honor, fame, and fortune. Whatever mischief the game master (GM) has created is all for your amusement.
Character Creation
“I am the Hajiman, I am god.”
- The Hajiman
I shall be a warrior, strong of arm and brave of heart. A noble knight, defending the land in the name of virtue and justice, smiting evil with my gleaming blade and…
Hmmmm. Perhaps...
I can be a thief, crafty and cunning. A charming rogue, making my way by the shadows to plunder the foolish and unwary. No lock shall be safe, no door shall stand in my way, and before they know what hit them, I’ll steal out from under their very noses the finest baubles and…
No, wait…
I will be a powerful wizard. A fearsome sorcerer, harnessing the very might of the universe to do my bidding. I shall dedicate my life to plumbing the depths of knowledge, learning arcane secrets and the dark truths other mortals dare not look upon, turning my great power to…
Not quite right. Ah…
I should be a peasant, honest and forthright. A simple farmer, leaving his home to seek his fortune among the great wide world, searching for an unknown destiny. I shall keep my eyes open to the world and trust that fate will…
Oh, what about a mime-hunter!
The first step in playing Campaign is creating a character. Your character is the person that you will pretend to be during a game, and is the single most important aspect of Campaign. Without characters, Campaign would be just another hike in the woods.
Start with a concept that you will enjoy playing. It could be your character’s livelihood, a personality quirk, or a troubling situation. All you need is a basic idea about your character from which to build. You could create a sword-for-hire, a cantankerous wizard, or a farmer in search of his beloved cow. Any idea will work, but avoid using existing “real world”, historical or fictional figures, names, guilds, religions, lands, or organizations in order to keep Xaria unique.
Once you have created your initial concept, you need to develop the specifics of your character. Decide upon a race, define your characteristics, and determine your character class and statistics. You may find it helpful to write down your progress or fill-out a character sheet as you make decisions creating your character. There is no right or wrong order to the process, just remember to draw from your initial concept to guide your choices. By the time you are done, you should have a detailed character sheet with all of the information outlined in this section.
In the case of some games, your FAVORITE character might not fit within the story, work with the GM(s) to help make him or her fit and/or to create a new character that you may grow to love as much. That said, in most cases there is sufficient flexibility in our style to allow some convoluted in-game logic to have your illiterate barkeep character to show up at the Holy Court of Antioch. Talk to your GM, you and s/he will figure it out.
Race
You will need to decide which race you wish to play. On Campaign there are a multitude of fantasy races. Keep in mind, however, that your choice can affect many of your other characteristics, as well as your appearance.If you play a race other than human, you will need to do something to alter the way you look. After all, an elf without pointy ears will be viewed with skepticism. Try to do as much as possible to appear like your chosen race. Tails, fake fur jackets, prosthetic ears, face paint, wigs, and masks are all helpful.
Below are some suggestions to help you determine which race is most appropriate for your character.
Humans
Humans are the most prevalent race in Xaria. They have no special abilities, advantages, or disadvantages.Elves
Though fiction and legend supply us with a wide variety of elf characterizations, the standard Campaign elf is a humanoid with pointy ears. Elves have an extremely long natural life span in comparison to humans, as they live about 600 years.The elven homeland is called Doro Y’Edhel, although elves are found throughout Xaria.
Special Abilities: Elves have a magikal resistance to sleep and charm spells (see the magik section).
Elves are indigenous to the forest and they can easily hide from others there. As such, they have the natural equivalent to the spell blend while in the woods. Elves can only blend where natural cover exists and they must get close to or crouch down near what they are blending into. After 30 seconds of focused searching, elves can also see any blended creature that has the natural (not magikal) ability to blend into their environment (e.g. other elves).
Elven Varieties
Several different varieties of elves exist in Xaria. Some of the more commonly encountered types are:
Vesve Elves
The elves of the Vesve Forest share a close kinship with the faerie folk, also known as the “fae”. They are often xenophobic and worship nature.
Autumnal (Copper) Elves
The Autumnal are a line of Vesve elves who are pacifists. They are typically distinguished by their auburn hair and cautious nature.
Dark Elves
The dark elves are generally quite nasty. They live in a matriarchal society of underground cities and rarely venture above ground, especially during the daylight. They have midnight-black skin, stark white hair, and very foul temperaments.
Dark elves have different special abilities than normal elves. They blend in shadows and are immune to fear and flee spells.
Half-Elves
These humanoids are a crossbreed between humans and elves. They are very similar to humans except that they have pointy ears. Half-elves have longer life spans than humans and live about 200 years.
Half-elves are often scorned by both human and elven communities because they are neither human nor elf.
Special Abilities: Half-elves are resistant to charm spells. After 60 seconds of focused searching, half-elves have the ability to see any blended creature with the natural (not magikal) ability to blend into their environment.
Dwarves
Dwarves are typically shorter and stockier than humans, commonly having beards and large noses. Like elves, dwarves have a life span of about 600 years.Dwarves generally do not get along with other races because of philosophical differences and therefore are frequently viewed as unpleasant. They tend to live in mountain regions and are known for their mining and stone lore abilities. Thorin is the dwarven homeland in the northeast of Xaria.
Special Abilities: Dwarves have a stout constitution, and are as hard as the rocks they mine. As a natural ability, they can cleanse their own bodies of any toxins at will (as per the spell purify blood). Dwarven characters also receive one extra recovery point (see creating character stats section) to imply their hardiness.
Halflings
These short humanoids have a life span equivalent to that of a human.Unlike the dwarves, halflings are quite friendly toward other races. Their homeland, Orenvale, lies to the north on Xaria.
Halflings have no special abilities.
Beastmen
These humanoids are rumored to have been created long ago by the Beast Lords to battle mankind and protect the pure animals. Physically, they look like humans with features of the animal after which they are fashioned.It is said that the beastmen have long since been abandoned by the Beast Lords. Now some strive to integrate themselves into society. This proves to be difficult due to their peculiar nature. Elves tend to get along better with beastmen but humans generally scorn them because of old resentments passed down from the time of the Beast Wars (see Xarian timeline). Ironically, there are ill feelings between varying breeds of beastmen who often do not get along with one another.
The uncharted southern continent of Leniel is thought to be the beastmen homeland, although beastmen can be found throughout Xaria. Generally, beastmen living in Xaria are mercenaries, thieves, and beggars, but some have formed their own packs and still retain their beastly honor.
Beastmen are susceptible to both charm and tame spells.
Special Abilities: Beastmen have advantages that are specific to their animal counterpart. For example, a bear beastman, being strong and hearty, might have an extra body point or the ability to instill fear (as per the spell). Theoretically, beastmen can also converse with actual animals of their own type (good luck doing that on a game). If you are planning to play a beastman character, you should discuss your character’s special ability with the GM.
Other
Monster characters or original races that you come up with for Campaign are also welcome. Half-ogres, sea nymphs, and goblins are a few examples of other races that have been played as characters on Campaign.Special Abilities:
If you have an idea for a new race with a new special ability, talk to the GM. They will do what they can to make your new creation workable in their game.
Role-playing Tip:
If your character is a mix of human and animal, or just plain non-human, try to enhance the differences between your race and standard humans. Give yourself non-human characteristics such as traits, habits, and customs. Feline beastmen may tend to lick their arms clean, purr, attack without warning, and climb trees they can’t get out of. Non-humans may also have religions and customs that are unusual to other characters. For example, Autumnal elves are standoffish to strangers and rarely shake hands.
Character Classes
The following character classes have been defined to organize all the possible character concepts into one simple system without limiting creativity. Each class has its own benefits and limitations in order to assure a fair and balanced game. Character classes are intended to be general descriptions that can be manipulated by your character concept. Your “thief” might be an honest jeweler, your “fighter” a holy pacifist who is sworn not to kill. Your “mage” can be a fool who casts the wrong spells by mistake. Use the following descriptions to decide which class best fits your character concept.Fighter
Fighter characters are often combatants. The typical fighter wears armor and keeps a weapon close at hand.The fighter’s advantage is strength. This is reflected in stronger body stats, faster healing, and the full benefit of all types of armor.
The fighter’s disadvantage is thier lack of magik ability.
Mage
There are several types of mages on Campaign. However, broadly defined, mages are magik wielding characters. They cast spells by conjuring magik from their surroundings, invoking the power of their god, or by studying the mystical forces.The advantage of playing this class is access to magik spells.
The disadvantage of the mage is their limited use of weapons and armor. While they can wear any type of armor, they receive only minimal protection from it. The only weapons mages are allowed to wield are staves and daggers.
Thief
Thieves achieve their ends through subtlety and trickery. While not typically eager combatants, they are skillful infiltrators and unexpectedly deadly.The advantage of being a thief is having a larger number of game-based skills and easier access to them.
The disadvantage is that a thief is not as strong as a fighter, lacks the ability to cast spells, and receives limited protection from armor.
Multiclass
Multiclass characters combine the talents of two different classes. The fighter/mage is a weapon wielding magik user. While they are not as strong as pure fighters, they have the ability to cast limited magik. The mage/thief mixes certain thief skills with some magikal prowess of a mage. The fighter/thief has better benefits from armor than a pure thief, but fewer skills and less access to them.For the multiclass character, their advantage is the same as their weakness – diversity. While they aren’t powerful specialists, they are well adapted to many situations.
Other
The other class consists of character concepts that do not fit into any other categories. Guides, scribes, cooks, wine-traders, peasants, farmers, fishmongers, blacksmiths, roving musicians, translators, historians, and midwives are all good examples of the other class.The advantage to the other class is starting with the largest number of game-related skills.
The disadvantage to the other class is their limited protection from armor and their inability to wield magik.
Creating Character Stats
The various statistics that govern your character are nothing more than game mechanics, but are important in establishing balance and strategy. The mechanics of body points (BP), armor points (AP), hit points (HP), recovery points (RP), purchase points (PP), casting points (CP), skill points (SP), and experience points (XP) are intended to bring a sense of reality to Campaign.Character stats will turn a skinny player into a physically intimidating fighter or a burly athlete into a frail mage with vast magikal power.
Don’t fret, character stats aren’t nearly as complicated as they seem. Our system is easy to use and in no time will become second nature.
Definition of Terms
Beginning (Begin)
The beginning number of points or skills a certain character class starts with.Maximum (Max)
The maximum number of points or skills a certain character class can obtain.Body Points (BP)
The amount of damage your character’s body can take from weapons or damage causing spells before falling unconscious.Armor Points (AP)
The amount of damage your armor will take before you lose BP. AP values for armor type differ for each character class.Hit Points (HP)
BP plus AP equals HP. This is the total amount of damage your character can take in combat.Recovery Points (RP)
The number of lost BP a character recovers over the course of one hour of rest.Purchase Points (PP)
The points used to add spells to your spell list. PP are available only to magik using characters.Casting Points (CP)
The number of spells a mage can cast before stopping to study or restore.Skill Points (SP)
The points used to buy skills.Experience Points (XP)
The points used to increase your character’s stats.Maximum Hit Points
No player character may have more than 10 HP (BP + AP) at one time. That is the limit. Even if some loophole is found in the rules (including temporary magikal boosting), this rule supersedes. Non-player characters (NPCs) and monsters may exceed 10 HP at the discretion of the GM.
Earning Experience
For every one Campaign event/s a Player attends, that Player receives one XP (1 game = 1 XP, as of 1/1/10).
XP are earned by players, not characters. For example, if Mike attends one Campaign event as Aeloz and another as Erich Rubeus, Mike earns 1XP. If Mike plays Aeloz and Erich Rubeus at the same Campaign event, he still has to attend an additional game to earn 1 XP. Once earned, this point can be used to increase the stats of any one of Mike’s characters in one of the following ways:
• add 1 BP
or
• add SP to purchase new skills
All classes gain 2 SP, except Other which gains 3 SP per XP
or
• add 1 RP (not to exceed the maximum)
or
• add 1 CP (not to exceed the maximum)
or
• add PP to purchase new spells
A full mage character gains 10 PP per XP spent while a fighter/mage or mage/thief only gain 5 PP per XP.
Example: Lily is a magik-user played by Brandee. Listed below is her point progression by XP expenditure through her first several Campaigns:
1st Game 2nd Game 3rd Game 4th Game
CP 8 (start) - +1 (9 total) -
BP 4 (start) - - +1 (5 total)
PP 20 (start) +10 (30 total) - -
SP 0 (start) - - -
(TO BE CHANGED)On her third Campaign, Brandee chose 10 PP for Lily. On her fifth Campaign, she chose one additional CP. On her 7th game, she chose another BP. Brandee could have chosen any one of the categories to improve Lily when experience was received, or saved it for a later date. Of course she could also have used her XP for an entirely different character instead.
The Rest of a Character Sheet
Name
Finding a name that suits your character is not always an easy task. Try and choose a name that other players will be able to remember and pronounce.Role-playing Tip:
You should shy away from character names that attempt to capture mysterious glimpses into your troubled and stormy personality. Try to avoid names that contain words such as black, dark, blood, war, night, death, axe, doom, evil, or blade. With a name like “Darkthunder” or “Blackspike”, players will probably poke fun at you no matter how powerful your character might be.
Three Adjectives
List the top three adjectives that you would want other people to use when describing your character (e.g. honest, judgmental, ill-mannered). Selecting three adjectives will provide a snapshot of your character’s personality. These adjectives can be very helpful in determining how your character might react to an unexpected event or confrontation.Profession
The notion behind a profession is to give your character class some distinction beyond its basic definition. There are infinite possibilities for your character to earn a livelihood and not all of them are about the pursuit of riches. Here are some suggestions: cleric, wanderer, ranger, con artist, peasant, fishmonger, magik scholar, baker, historian, mercenary, lackey, guard, mime hunter, blacksmith, singer, innkeeper, armorer, cut purse, soldier, parasol maker, messenger, assassin, trapper, trader, fencing instructor, cabinet maker, highway robber, tax collector, elf slayer, or spy.Goals/Desires
Goals and desires help define your character’s actions. If your goal is to be the richest man in Xaria, you would not likely pass up the chance to capture a dragon’s horde, unless you also wanted to live a long, quiet life.Goals can be long or short term, lofty or commonplace. They may never actually be completed or can be something that your character faces all the time. A useful goal will bring your character into the action and provide you with an excuse to mingle with others. Defined goals will prove invaluable when your character is forced to choose a side.
Here are some examples of character goals: gain wealth, win fame, kill monsters, help the sick, acquire power, exact revenge, attain redemption, seek wisdom, restore honor, perform a duty, stay alive, find your next meal, study magik, confront the six-fingered man, quest for the Godstone, do your job, destroy evil, destroy do-gooders, destroy everything, plant apple trees, knit scarves, discover the meaning of life, learn new skills, pass the time, escape the authorities, and the most noble of all, find true love.
Weaknesses
All people have weaknesses, whether a simple allergy or a terrible phobia. Weaknesses are an opportunity to give your character some added dimension and give the GMs some fuel to challenge you as a player. When a character’s weaknesses are pressed, they can rise to new heights or fall to terrible lows.Relative Wealth
Your character’s wealth might determine a number of key traits (i.e. title, dress, education, ambition, etc.). You may choose to be poor, struggling, comfortable, rich, or luxuriantly wealthy. If you play a wealthy character, you don’t necessarily need to have a weighty coin purse. Conversely, a character born to humble means, might have come upon a priceless statue that could change his future. Relative wealth shouldn’t be viewed solely by material possessions.Homeland
The Campaign world takes place primarily on the continent of Xaria. There are a variety of countries with diverse cultures for you to choose your character’s origins. A more detailed explanation of each of the following lands can found in the Campaign Lands book or by following the link to the Lands page.Allies/Foes
On Campaign your character seldom does anything alone. You will quickly decide who your friends are and, more importantly, whom you consider enemies.Your ally or foe might be another player’s character or a specific group. For example, as a Veldron Knight, you consider all other Veldron Knights to be your allies, but Darien, a Sequestrum mage is your bitter enemy.
The more you play a character, the longer your list of allies and enemies will become.
Character History
The basic difference between your character concept and your written history is the finer details of your past. Ask yourself what events and experiences shaped your character? How did your character get to where they are now? How did you learn your trade? What factors defined your character’s personality? In short, what is your story? The richer your character’s history, the more fun you will probably have playing the game.Your character history need not be an action-adventure story. It is primarily a device to help you determine who your character is, where your character is at now, and where your character is going. In practical terms, this can help explain how your character ended up in the land where the next Campaign game takes place. Your character’s written history will also provide the GM with vital information to work your character into their plots.
Where do I fit in?
The Campaign world contains many established religions, orders, and affiliations that you may want to associate your character with. This list will help to familiarize you with a few of the many organizations that make up Xaria’s diverse population. If you do decide to relate your character to one of these groups, it is a good idea to get the complete description before playing, as these are simply meant as an overview. More information on these and other groups will be found on the website or at the Orders page.Special Items
Special items can be defined as magikal or uniquely powerful objects (e.g. magik potions, special swords, rings of invulnerability, etc.). Typically the first time a character is played, they do not start with special items unless they have the magikal ability or skill to create them. All magikal and special items need to be approved by the GM prior to a game.If you do have the good fortune of acquiring a special item in-game, it should be noted on your character sheet for the next time you play as a reminder to both yourself and the GM.
I Want Special Stuff!
“Special stuff” is anything that you feel would enhance your character but is not covered in the rules. Special stuff can be anything from a magik item to a conceptual anomaly. It could be an ability for a new race, a knife that magically picks locks for a thief or even an old gypsy curse that has been tormenting your character’s family for generations.In order to request special stuff, write out exactly what it is that you want and get it approved by the GM prior to a game.
Keep in mind, magik items and special abilities are not passed around like a dirty copper piece. If your special stuff upsets the balance of the game or creates difficulties with a game’s plot, your request might not be approved. Try to follow these guidelines when requesting special stuff:
• Avoid special stuff that is too powerful or too broad in nature.
• Consider including drawbacks or limitations to balance the advantages.
• Create special stuff that is believable.
• Provide a limit to the use of your special stuff (i.e. once, once a day, or a specific number of times) before it expires.
• Make sure your special stuff enhances the background of your character rather than simply making them more powerful.
• Adequately explain why your character has the special stuff and where it came from. Include a background history for the item or ability that explains its existence.
Playing the Role
“What you are about to see is an accurate and faithful re-creation of true historic events using rhyme and verse, musical numbers and shadow puppetry…”- Mme Bryony Wyndham of The Wyndham Players
‘Captured!,’ you think to yourself as you are tied to the base of a tree. ‘Of all the rotten luck!’
Ten more steps and you would have made it to your destination.
“What’s that?” you say aloud, your voice breaking slightly, as one of the brigands removes a strange device with sharp, rusty pinchers from a rather large bag.
“Dis is what I’s gonna pull you ears off wit,” states the tall half-wit who seems to lead this rabble of marauders. “Lessen o’course, you tell me where da treasure is, my lovely.”
“So, torture is it?” you bravely ask, trying your best not be intimidated by the scraping noise of the ear-pullers.
“Das right,” the big lug cackles. “I ‘ope you don’t spill right away. I enjoys a little screamin’ when I’s entertains a lady.”
“Well, you won’t get the satisfaction from me,” you proudly boast, only slightly uncomfortable from the business you were hoping to take care of after you left to your camp. “But, forsooth, do you think I could visit the privy first?”
“Oh, yeah, of course,” the fiend calmly states in perfect common before returning to his broken brogue. “But don’t takes too long, else I’ll use these choppers on your eye lids.”
The goal of this section is to encourage players to immerse themselves in fantasy by becoming their characters for the entire game, from beginning to end. It is easier to play Campaign when there are no real world, or mundane, distractions. The following rules, tips, guidelines, and definitions are valuable tools to maximize everyone’s role-playing experience.
In-Game vs. Out-of-Game
Once a game has started, the players are officially “in-game”. At certain times it becomes necessary to stop playing, either for someone’s safety or to apply game mechanics to a situation, and we become “out-of-game” or OOG. Certain items and areas may also be OOG, i.e. trap markers, monster camp, or mundane items.Forsooth
Campaigners pride themselves on staying in-game, even under adverse conditions. “Forsooth” is a code-word that means “in truth”. Using forsooth in a sentence indicates that you have truthful in-game information or real world information for another player. Using forsooth is accomplished best when it is being disguised as in-game conversation. This lets you make a real life statement without breaking character.An example of the use of forsooth as in-game conversation:
Gault, a scholar played by Andrew, and Peralton, a guide played by Jason, are chatting by the fire. Peralton says, “Forsooth Gault, I think that I shall go hunt for dinner. Do you wish to join me?” Gault agrees because he knows that their food is in a cooler in the trunk of Jason’s car.
An example of the incorrect use of forsooth as in-game conversation:
Gault and Peralton are chatting by the fire. Gault says, “Forsooth, hey Jason, can we go get the food and Mountain Dew out of your car?” Peralton leaves the fire in disgust.
An example of the use of forsooth to convey in-game information:
Ernie is playing Mordekai, a knight who has just spent the last month on a boat gutting fish. When Mordekai enters the inn, Ernie whispers to all players he encounters, “Forsooth, I reek of fish.”
At times you may find yourself needing a break from your character. If you need to be in the real world for a few minutes, tell your comrades that you are going to “scout the perimeter” , “forage for berries”, or some other excuse. Wander away from the game-play, give yourself a few minutes, then return to the game with your batteries recharged.
Please don’t break out of character or pull someone else out of character as it detracts from the game. If out-of-game talk is needed, pull the person aside, as in, “Forsooth Gault, I must speak to you for a moment.”
Character vs. Player Knowledge
After a game is over, it is great fun to get together with other players to chat about all the cool things that happened. A word of caution; you may learn something about another player’s character that your character would not necessarily know. Try to keep player knowledge separate from character knowledge. In other words, if you find out about vital story or character information while chatting in a diner booth, do not assume that your character is also privy to that information on future games.The Cloakie® Rule
The Cloakie® rule gives you license to be over dramatic. This isn’t really a rule, but what it means is that overacting is sometimes just the right amount of acting! If you get shot in the shoulder with a baffee arrow, don’t just deduct the point and press onward. Instead, flinch and hold your shoulder in pain. Even better would be to spin around from the impact, howling defiantly as you pretend to pull the arrow from your wound. Any of these reactions are fine, but on Campaign, the more theatrical the better!You are encouraged to role-play injuries and spell effects far worse than they are or for longer periods of time than necessary. The rules are meant as a minimum starting point. Do not feel shy about hamming it up. The Cloakie® rule applies to all areas of Campaign. Who knows, you might even get a cute, plastic Cloakie® statue at the annual Campaign Achievement Awards banquet for your efforts.
Outfitting Your Character
With your character created and your character sheet complete, you might want to give some thought to more practical concerns; such as what your character should bring on the adventure. The best advice is don’t bring too much. Carry only what is necessary and try to hide or disguise any modern items. Remember, if you overload yourself, you will not be able to outrun those rampaging goblins!Costumes
Most players create costumes appropriate to both their character and a medieval, fantasy world. Costumes can be as elaborate as a suit of armor (often made of foam) or as simple as sweat pants and a white shirt. All we ask is no T-shirts with mundane writing or logos on them. If you don’t have the time to do something elaborate, don’t worry. A little rummaging through your closet and some creative modifications will produce a great costume.The Campaign Props and Wardrobe Subcommittee has some costume pieces available if you need them. There is also a good selection of tabards specific to the various orders and countries of Xaria. For example, if you want to play a Rynith Guard, you’ll probably want an official tabard to enhance your wardrobe. For more information about Campaign costumes, please get in touch with the Campaign Contact.
Weapons
“Baffee” weapons are made from foam, which is cheap and easy to use. Only approved baffee weapons are allowed in Campaign combat. Details of how to make an approved baffee weapon are illustrated in the Combat section. Latex weapons are also permitted by approval of Combat Committe/GM.A distinct baffee weapon can enhance your character as much as a costume will. Baffee weapons include staves, swords of all sizes, warhammers, dwarven battleaxes, elven bows and arrows, simple throwing daggers, or even a baffee frying pan. As long as its function is safe and approved for combat, a baffee weapon’s form is limitless. Make sure you consider your character when you choose your style of weapon.
Wealth
Many things on Campaign require coin. (e.g. drinks, healing, thugs, etc.). Your character might be the type who can afford these things or you may be so poor that you are willing to do anything to get them. Wealth can be acquired in many ways. You could charge for your services, fence stolen items, or hope and pray that your adventures will lead to riches.Exchange Rate
The basic currency and exchange system on Campaign is:1 gold coin = 5 silver coins
1 silver coin = 5 copper coins
This also means:
1 gold coin is equal to 5 silver coins is equal to 25 copper coins
Many different types of coins and props are used to represent gold, silver, and copper denominations on Campaign and all are accepted equally under this basic exchange rate.
Value
For the purpose of having a common understanding of how much these coins are worth in-game and what you can expect to buy with them, use the following comparison to the modern U.S. dollar.1 copper = 1 dollar
1 silver = 5 dollars
1 gold = 25 dollars
For example, ale at an inn may cost 2-3 coppers. A meal might cost 2 silver. A finely made sword could cost upwards of 15 gold coins.
Gems, Jewelry and Other Trinkets
Coins are not the only in-game wealth. Gems, jewelry, and seemingly valuable trinkets can also be used to barter for goods and services. The value of gems, jewelry, and other trinkets is something that will be determined during the course of a game. If you are hoping that your jeweled broach (which is actually just a plastic toy you stole from your niece) is worth a pouch full of gold, you better be prepared to haggle or hire a character with the Gem Appraisal skill.Once the trade is made, the jeweled broach is now the property of another character to do with as they please. In other words, do not trade gems, jewelry, or trinkets unless you are prepared to part with them forever. Of course, if you have the proper skills you could always attempt to steal the treasure back…
Onward to Combat!